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Mike Marts Jumps Ship from DC to Marvel

Joe Quesada/Marvel Entertainment

The former lead editor for DC's "Batman" franchise moves to Marvel to become an Executive Editor on as-yet unnamed projects.

In what may be just the first of many defections from DC Entertainment this year, Marvel Entertainment has announced that former Batman head honcho Mike Marts has been hired as the publisher's newest Executive Editor.

The news was announced late Friday, with Marts' start date given as "February." The move marks a return for the editor, who worked on the X-Men franchise from 1996 through 2006 before moving over to DC to take up management of the extensive Batman franchise, a position he's held for the last seven years.

Marts' departure from DC follows the company's reported December deadline for agreeing to move with the publisher to the West Coast in mid-2015. It's unknown how many DC staffers have agreed to make the move, nor how many have already handed in their notice and are looking for -- or have already found -- other positions in New York.

Current Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso called Marts "a seasoned veteran who's edited some of the most critically acclaimed and highest-selling series of the last decade," adding "I'm overjoyed to see him return home." DC has yet to announce who will be replacing Marts as Batman editor.